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Consider the algebraic function $\Phi_{g,n}$ that assigns to a general $g$-dimensional abelian variety an $n$-torsion point. A question first posed by Kronecker and Klein asks: What is the minimal $d$ such that, after a rational change of variables, the function $\Phi_{g,n}$ can be written as an algebraic function of $d$ variables? Using techniques from the deformation theory of $p$-divisible groups and finite flat group schemes, we answer this question by computing the essential dimension and $p$-dimension of congruence covers of the moduli space of principally polarized abelian varieties. We apply this result to compute the essential $p$-dimension of congruence covers of the moduli space of genus $g$ curves, as well as its hyperelliptic locus, and of certain locally symmetric varieties., Comment: 26 pages. Minor revisions. Comments welcome!

We use a recent advance in birational geometry to prove new lower bounds on the essential dimension of some finite groups.

Suppose $G$ is a finite group and $p$ is either a prime number or $0$. For $p$ positive, we say that $G$ is weakly tame at $p$ if $G$ has no non-trivial normal $p$-subgroups. By convention we say that every finite group is weakly tame at $0$. Now suppose that $G$ is a finite group which is weakly tame at the residue characteristic of a discrete valuation ring $R$. Our main result shows that the essential dimension of $G$ over the fraction field $K$ of $R$ is at least as large as the essential dimension of $G$ over the residue field $k$. We also prove a more general statement of this type for a class of ��tale gerbes over $R$. As a corollary, we show that, if $G$ is weakly tame at $p$ and $k$ is any field of characteristic $p >0$ containing the algebraic closure of $\mathbb{F}_p$, then the essential dimension of $G$ over $k$ is less than or equal to the essential dimension of $G$ over any characteristic $0$ field. A conjecture of A. Ledet asserts that the essential dimension, $\mathrm{ed}_k(\mathbb{Z}/p^n\mathbb{Z})$, of the cyclic group of order $p^n$ over a field $k$ is equal to $n$ whenever $k$ is a field of characteristic $p$. We show that this conjecture implies that $\mathrm{ed}_{\mathbb{C}}(G) \geq n$ for any finite group $G$ which is weakly tame at $p$ and contains an element of order $p^n$. To the best of our knowledge, an unconditional proof of the last inequality is out of the reach of all presently known techniques., 16 pages. Corrected some minor mistakes, improved the exposition, and added some additional examples. To appear in Documenta Mathematica

We will calculate the essential dimension of the moduli stack of polarized K3 surfaces, including the positive char case., Some mistakes corrected

We determine the essential dimension of the spin group Spin(n) as an algebraic group over a field of characteristic 2, for n at least 15. In this range, the essential dimension is the same as in characteristic not 2. In particular, it is exponential in n. This is surprising in that the essential dimension of the orthogonal groups is smaller in characteristic 2. We also find the essential dimension of Spin(n) in characteristic 2 for n at most 10., Comment: 15 pages; v2: description of finite group scheme in proof of Theorem 2.1 corrected

We prove that the essential dimension of central simple algebras of degree $p^{\ell m}$ and exponent $p^{m}$ over fields $F$ containing a base-field $k$ of characteristic $p$ is at least $\ell +1$ when $k$ is perfect. We do this by observing that the $p$-rank of $F$ bounds the symbol length in $\text{Br}_{p^{m}}(F)$ and that there exist indecomposable $p$-algebras of degree $p^{\ell m}$ and exponent $p^{m}$. We also prove that the symbol length of the Kato-Milne cohomology group $\text{H}_{p^{m}}^{n+1}(F)$ is bounded from above by $\binom{r}{n}$ where $r$ is the $p$-rank of the field, and provide upper and lower bounds for the essential dimension of Brauer classes of a given symbol length.

Let k be a base field, K be a field containing k and L/K be a field extension of degree n. The essential dimension ed(L/K) over k is a numerical invariant measuring "the complexity" of L/K. Of particular interest is $\tau$(n) = max { ed(L/K) | L/K is a separable extension of degree n}, also known as the essential dimension of the symmetric group $S_n$. The exact value of $\tau$(n) is known only for n $\leq$ 7. In this paper we assume that k is a field of characteristic p > 0 and study the essential dimension of inseparable extensions L/K. Here the degree n = [L:K] is replaced by a pair (n, e) which accounts for the size of the separable and the purely inseparable parts of L/K respectively, and \tau(n) is replaced by $\tau$(n, e) = max { ed(L/K) | L/K is a field extension of type (n, e)}. The symmetric group $S_n$ is replaced by a certain group scheme $G_{n,e}$ over k. This group is neither finite nor smooth; nevertheless, computing its essential dimension turns out to be easier than computing the essential dimension of $S_n$. Our main result is a simple formula for \tau(n, e)., Comment: 18 pages

Given a finite smooth group scheme $G$ over a field of characteristic $p > 0$, we show that the essential dimension of $G$ at $p$ is $0$ when $p$ does not divide the order of $G$, and $1$ when it does., 7 pages. Added a new proof of a key lemma due to a referee, and made some more minor changes. Accepted for publication in Comptes Rendus Mathematique

We characterize all fields of definition for a given coherent sheaf over a projective scheme in terms of projective modules over a finite-dimensional endomorphism algebra. This yields general results on the essential dimension of such sheaves. Applying them to vector bundles over a smooth projective curve C, we obtain an upper bound for the essential dimension of their moduli stack. The upper bound is sharp if the conjecture of Colliot-Th\'el\`ene, Karpenko and Merkurjev holds. We find that the genericity property proved for Deligne-Mumford stacks by Brosnan, Reichstein and Vistoli still holds for this Artin stack, unless the curve C is elliptic., Comment: 17 pages. v2: new counterexample to the genericity property in the elliptic curve case; the earlier Proposition 3.4 replaced by an argument which is still valid over non-perfect fields; exposition streamlined

Let $G$ be a permutation group on a set $\Omega$. A subset of $\Omega$ is a base for $G$ if its pointwise stabilizer is trivial; the base size of $G$ is the minimal cardinality of a base. In this paper we initiate the study of bases for algebraic groups defined over an algebraically closed field. In particular, we calculate the base size for all primitive actions of simple algebraic groups, obtaining the precise value in almost all cases. We also introduce and study two new base measures, which arise naturally in this setting. We give an application concerning the essential dimension of simple algebraic groups, and we establish several new results on base sizes for the corresponding finite groups of Lie type. The latter results are an important contribution to the classical study of bases for finite primitive permutation groups. We also indicate some connections with generic stabilizers for representations of simple algebraic groups., Comment: 62 pages; to appear in J. Eur. Math. Soc. (JEMS)

We classify all finite groups of essential dimension 2 over an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0., Comment: 30 pages (To appear in Commentarii Mathematici Helvetici)

We compute the essential dimension of the functors Forms_{n,d} and Hypersurf_{n, d} of equivalence classes of homogeneous polynomials in n variables and hypersurfaces in P^{n-1}, respectively, over any base field k of characteristic 0. Here two polynomials (or hypersurfaces) over K are considered equivalent if they are related by a linear change of coordinates with coefficients in K. Our proof is based on a new Genericity Theorem for algebraic stacks, which is of independent interest. As another application of the Genericity Theorem, we prove a new result on the essential dimension of the stack of (not necessarily smooth) local complete intersection curves., Comment: 25 pages. Several typos in version 1 have been corrected

We prove that spin groups act generically freely on various spinor modules, in the sense of group schemes and in a way that does not depend on the characteristic of the base field. As a consequence, we extend the surprising calculation of the essential dimension of spin groups and half-spin groups in characteristic zero by Brosnan--Reichstein--Vistoli (Annals of Math., 2010) and Chernousov--Merkurjev (Algebra & Number Theory, 2014) to fields of characteristic different from 2., v2 adds an appendix by Alexander Premet on generic stabilizer in HSpin_16 in characteristic 2

Let $P$ be a finite set of points in $\mathbb{R}^d$ or $\mathbb{C}^d$. We answer a question of Purdy on the conditions under which the number of hyperplanes spanned by $P$ is at least the number of $(d-2)$-flats spanned by $P$. In answering this question, we define a new measure of the degeneracy of a point set with respect to affine subspaces, termed the "essential dimension". We use the essential dimension to give an asymptotic expression for the number of $k$-flats spanned by $P$, for $1 \leq k \leq d-1$., Comment: 23 pages

In this paper we develop the theory of essential dimension of group schemes over an integral base. Shortly we concentrate over a local base. As a consequence of our theory we give a result of invariance of the essential dimension over a field. The case of group schemes over a discrete valuation ring is discussed. Moreover we propose a generalization of Ledet conjecture, which predicts the essential dimension of cyclic $p$-groups in positive characteristic, for finite commutative unipotent group schemes. And we show some results and some consequences of this new conjecture., Comment: 22 pages. It has been removed the last section, which is now arXiv:1709.00677. To appear in Journal of Algebra

We give upper bounds on the essential dimension of (quasi-)simple algebraic groups over an algebraically closed field that hold in all characteristics. The results depend on showing that certain representations are generically free. In particular, aside from the cases of spin and half-spin groups, we prove that the essential dimension of a simple algebraic group $G$ of rank at least two is at most $\mathrm{dim}(G) - 2(\mathrm{rank}(G)) - 1$. It is known that the essential dimension of spin and half-spin groups grows exponentially in the rank. In most cases, our bounds are as good or better than those known in characteristic zero and the proofs are shorter. We also compute the generic stabilizer of an adjoint group on its Lie algebra., v2 is a substantial revision

We prove a new upper bound on the essential p-dimension of the projective linear group PGLn., Comment: 10 pages

We prove that the essential dimension of the spinor group Spin_n grows exponentially with n; in particular, we give a precise formula for this essential dimension when n is not divisible by 4. We use this result to show that the number of 3-fold Pfister forms needed to represent the Witt class of a general quadratic form of rank n with trivial discriminant and Hasse-Witt invariant grows exponentially with n. This paper overlaps with our earlier preprint arXiv:math/0701903 . That preprint has splintered into several parts, which have since acquired a life of their own. In particular, see "Essential dimension of moduli of curves and other algebraic stacks", by the same authors, and "Some consequences of the Karpenko-Merkurjev theorem", by Meyer and Reichstein (arXiv:0811.2517)., Comment: 11 pages. Accepted for publication in Annals of Mathematics

Let p be a prime, k be a field of characteristic different from p containing a primitive p-th root of unity and N be the normalizer of the maximal torus in the projective linear group PGLn. We compute the exact value of the essential dimension ed(N;p) of N at p for every n., 17 pages, 2 diagrams

We define and study a new numerical invariant of an algebraic group action which we call the canonical dimension. We then apply the resulting theory to the problem of computing the minimal number of parameters required to define a generic hypersurface of degree d in P^{n-1}., Comment: Significantly strenghtened, compared to the earlier version. To appear in Advances in Mathematics, 41 pages

We study the notion of essential dimension for a linear representation of a finite group. In characteristic zero we relate it to the canonical dimension of certain products of Weil transfers of generalized Severi-Brauer varieties. We then proceed to compute the canonical dimension of a broad class of varieties of this type, extending earlier results of the first author. As a consequence, we prove analogues of classical theorems of R. Brauer and O. Schilling about the Schur index, where the Schur index of a representation is replaced by its essential dimension. In the last section we show that essential dimension of representations can behave in rather unexpected ways in the modular setting., Comment: 24 pages. Corrected minor typos, added a section on essential dimension of modular representations

We give a simple formula for the essential dimension of a finite pseudo-reflection group at a prime p and determine the absolute essential dimension for most irreducible pseudo-reflection groups. We also study the "poor man's essential dimension" of an arbitrary finite group, an intermediate notion between the absolute essential dimension and the essential dimension at a prime p., 24 pages. Final version. To appear in J. Lond. Math. Soc

We give an upper bound for the essential dimension of a smooth unipotent algebraic group over an arbitrary field. We also show that over a field $k$ which is finitely generated over a perfect field, a smooth unipotent algebraic $k$-group is of essential dimension 0 if and only if it is $k$-split., 24 pages

Following up on our earlier work and the work of N. Karpenko and A. Merkurjev, we study the essential p-dimension of linear algebraic groups G whose connected component G^0 is a torus., 23 pages, no figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:0910.5574

We find upper bounds on the essential dimension of the moduli stack of parabolic vector bundles over a curve. When there is no parabolic structure, we improve the known upper bound on the essential dimension of the usual moduli stack. Our calculations also give lower bounds on the essential dimension of the semistable locus inside the moduli stack of vector bundles of rank $r$ and degree $d$ without parabolic structure., Comment: To be published in Journal of K-Theory

Let $p$ be a prime integer, $1\leq s\leq r$ integers, $F$ a field of characteristic $p$. Let $\cat{Dec}_{p^r}$ denote the class of the tensor product of $r$ $p$-symbols and $\cat{Alg}_{p^r,p^s}$ denote the class of central simple algebras of degree $p^r$ and exponent dividing $p^s$. For any integers $s, Comment: Any comments are welcome

Let $1\leq m \leq n$ be integers with $m|n$ and $\cat{Alg}_{n,m}$ the class of central simple algebras of degree $n$ and exponent dividing $m$. In this paper, we find new, improved upper bounds for the essential dimension and 2-dimension of $\cat{Alg}_{n,2}$. In particular, we show that $\ed_{2}(\cat{Alg}_{16,2})=24$ over a field $F$ of characteristic different from 2., Comment: Sections 1 and 3 are rewritten

We investigate essential dimension of finite groups over arbitrary fields and give a systematic treatment of multihomogenization, introduced by H.Kraft, G.Schwarz and the author. We generalize the central extension theorem of Buhler and Reichstein and use multihomogenization to substitute and generalize the stack-involved part of the theorem of Karpenko and Merkurjev about the essential dimension of p-groups. One part of this paper is devoted to the study of completely reducible faithful representations. Amongst results concerning faithful representations of minimal dimension there is a computation of the minimal number of irreducible components needed for a faithful representation., 34 pages, no figures

We affirmatively answer a conjecture in the preprint ``Essential dimension and algebraic stacks,'' proving that the essential dimension of an abelian variety over a number field is infinite., 4 pages. To appear in C. R. Math. Acad. Sci. Paris. Preprint posted earlier to http://www.mathematik.uni-bielefeld.de/LAG/

Given an hermitian space we compute its essential dimension, Chow motive and prove its incompressibility in certain dimensions., Comment: 6 pages

A conic bundle or quadric bundle in characteristic 2 can have generic fiber which is nowhere smooth over the function field of the base variety. In that case, the generic fiber is called a quasilinear quadric. We solve some of the main problems of birational geometry for quasilinear quadrics. First, if there is a rational map from one quasilinear quadric to another of the same dimension, and also a map back, then the two quadrics are birational. Next, we determine exactly which quasilinear quadrics are ruled, that is, birational over the base field to the product of some variety with the projective line. Both statements are conjectured for quadrics in any characteristic. The proofs begin by extending Karpenko and Merkurjev's theorem on the essential dimension of quadrics to arbitrary quadrics (smooth or not) in characteristic 2., 15 pages

Let K be an arbitrary field. We will determine explicitly all the nontrivial finite groups of essential dimension one over K., Comment: 26 pages

Let G be a finite group and φ:V→W an equivariant polynomial map between finite dimensional G-modules. We say that φ is faithful if G acts faithfully on φ(V). The covariant dimension of G is the minimum of the dimension of φ(V)¯ taken over all faithful φ. In [Hanspeter Kraft, Gerald W. Schwarz, Compression of finite group actions and covariant dimension, J. Algebra 313 (1) (2007) 268–291] we investigated covariant dimension and were able to determine it in many cases. Our techniques largely depended upon finding homogeneous faithful covariants. After publication of the paper, the junior author of this article pointed out several gaps in our proofs. Fortunately, this inspired us to find better techniques, involving multihomogeneous covariants, which have enabled us to extend and complete the results, simplify the proofs and fill the gaps of our previous work.

Let $G$ be a finite group and $\phi\colon V\to W$ an equivariant morphism of finite dimensional $G$-modules. We say that $\phi$ is faithful if $G$ acts faithfully on $\phi(V)$. The covariant dimension of $G$ is the minimum of the dimension of $\bar{\phi(V)}$ taken over all faithful $\phi$. In this paper we investigate covariant dimension and are able to determine it for abelian groups and to obtain estimates for the symmetric and alternating groups. We also classify groups of covariant dimension less than or equal to 2. A byproduct of our investigations is the existence of a purely transcendental field of definition of degree $n-3$ for a generic field extension of degree $n\geq 5$., Comment: 22 pages